Brazil farmers harvest 2.2% of 2023 second corn crop, AgRural says

Adds quote, comments about weather in paragraphs 3-4

SAO PAULO, June 12 (Reuters) - Brazilian farmers have harvested through last Thursday 2.2% of the area planted for their second corn crop in the center-south region, agribusiness consultancy AgRural said on Monday, up 0.8 percentage points from the previous week.

At the same time last year, 6.6% of the Brazilian corn fields had been reaped, AgRural said in a statement, noting fieldwork remains concentrated in top grain producing state Mato Grosso.

"Overall, center-south fields continue to show very good development," the consultancy said, although stressing that weather conditions need to remain favorable at least until the end of June for the crop to reach its full potential.

AgRural noted that producers in the states of Parana and Mato Grosso do Sul were on the alert for potential lower temperatures in the second half of June, which could cause frost, hurting some corn areas.

AgRural expects Brazil's total corn crop to hit a record 127.4 million metric tons this season. The so-called "safrinha" accounts for most of the country's output in a given year and is estimated to reach 97.9 million metric tons in 2022/23.

(Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Steven Grattan)

((Gabriel.Araujo2@thomsonreuters.com; +55 11 5047-3352;))

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